Romanka (1366 m a.s.l.) is the highest peak of the Lipowski Wierch and Romanka Group in the Żywiec-Orawa Beskids — a wild, forested summit with centuries of history and one of the most impressive vertical rises in the entire Żywiec Basin. Rising nearly 1000 metres above the Soła valley floor, it is a mountain that rewards those who seek atmosphere over panoramas. If you love deep forest trails and untouched Carpathian wilderness, this is your kind of mountain.
The slopes of Romanka are almost entirely covered in forest — beech, fir and sycamore maple in the lower zones give way to dense, wind-twisted spruce stands near the summit, reaching almost the natural tree line for this region. The summit itself is enclosed in old-growth forest, so sweeping views are not on offer here — instead, you get silence, shade and the feeling of true wilderness. On the western side, rocky cliffs hide a cave, a little-known gem for the curious. The area is home to grey wolf, lynx, red deer, wild boar, western capercaillie and even brown bear.
How to reach the summitRomanka has been welcoming hikers since the 19th century, and during World War II its dense forests sheltered a Polish partisan unit that proudly took the mountain's name — the 'Romanka' detachment.